Friday Favorites: Bari J.

I am inspired by so many things, I decided that on Fridays, I will highlight a favorite person, thing, or idea. Maybe you will be inspired too! See all past Friday Favorites here.

<><><><><><><><><><><>

I’m so excited to share a little about my friend Bari J. on the blog today! Bari has been a fabric designer for Art Gallery Fabrics for years, and recently did a complete brand makeover to reflect her love of color and beautiful design. A self-proclaimed Curated Maximalist, her creativity is ignited by florals, beautiful electric colors, and pattern. Every time I look at her feed on Instagram, or check in on her new products, I’m always left smiling. Bari seems to really love what she’s doing, and I’m so happy she let me ask her some questions about her process.

Bouquet Series #7 by Bari, acrylic on canvas

Blair: Bari, I’m so excited to talk with you for my Friday Favorites series! You describe yourself as “Wildly addicted to color” on your website, and I just love that description, it seems to fit you well. Please tell us a little about you, what you do, and how color inspires your work.

Bari: I think that color is the most intuitive part of what I do. It’s the thing that comes most natural to me. And in design and decor, I love to look at a lovely white space as much as the next gal… clean lines are totally awesome. But for me, it’s the bursts of color in the white space that bring me joy and peace.

Blair: You have seem to have focused your work and the look of your brand recently, it has a very cohesive feel and a strong message. You have taken some things out of your product line and added some new things in. Can you tell us a little about your work and brand has evolved?

Bari: Thank you! I have done a lot of work, and I’m glad you can see it. First in regards to just the product line: I realized over the past year that there are things I like to do and things that I don’t like to do very much. The things that I don’t like are really just not my strongest suits anyways. For instance, I did not love creating sewing patterns. I can do them, I think the ones I have done are done well, but really, I just don’t LIKE creating sewing patterns. So I simply pulled them from my offerings. Meanwhile, I LOVE creating art. I love color and composition. Those are my strong points. I decided that’s what I needed to focus on. At first it was because I was simply done doing anything that made me miserable in my life in general. But then I realized that as a business person doing the things you don’t like isn’t going to help your business one bit. And certainly having a miserable time creating a product means it’s not going to be a very good seller, if it sells at all. Employing “do what you love” as a strategy has been a really great route for me, and I’m much more successful working that way.

As for brand messaging, I consulted with a professional branding company and through the work we did I realized that my brand is really truly a reflection of who I am. We worked on picking out key messages and how to implement them. I’m really proud of the work we did because there’s a deep truthfulness to it. It tells my story and focuses on who I am as a designer and a person. There were lots of “aha!” moments during this work where I was like, YES! That’s it! That’s what I’m all about. Having someone else look in at what I was doing and point out the things that I couldn’t see because I was too close was invaluable.

Bari’s bedroom, filled with her beautiful paintings

Blair: I’ve loved your gorgeous fabric and patterns for years, but now I’m also in love with your original artwork and prints! Have you always painted? What is your favorite medium- watercolor? acrylic?

Bari: I hadn’t always painted. When I started designing fabric, I worked on a Wacom graphics tablet in photoshop exclusively. I was very much afraid to put anything on paper or canvas. I wasn’t a trained artist. However, now I realize that I was painting all along. I was simply doing it electronically. When I finally picked up a paint brush a little over two years ago, it felt extremely natural. There was just such a joy to it. I couldn’t stop. I wish I could accurately describe the feeling… I guess I could say it was like coming home to a place that I never knew was my home and knowing right away that this was MY place… and also wondering why I had never been there before.

Peacock Diptych original painting by Bari

Bari in her studio

Blair: Do you work in a dedicated space? A studio outside the home? How has your workspace evolved over the years?

Bari: Yes, I have a studio in our home. It’s right across from our master bedroom. The studio started out being mostly dedicated sewing space. Now it’s kind of run over with easels, paint and canvases… though there is of course still sewing space because I absolutely love to sew as well.

Feisty Floral #1 original painting by Bari

Blair: Describe a perfect work day. One that feels like you gave the “have-to’s” and the “want to’s” adequate attention.

Bari: Recently I read a book called “The Miracle Morning”, and it’s really changed how I start my day and what gets done. I highly recommend the read. I currently start my day at 6 am by throwing my workout clothes on and going for a long walk. When I get back I sit silently for just about five minutes… honestly, I’m a terrible meditator, but I’m giving it a massive go, and it truly helps to just have that five minutes. Then I read for about fifteen minutes (a self-help book of some sort… I’m currently reading “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and “The Woman Code”). By 8 am I’m having breakfast and coffee and heading into the studio. Then anything can happen. But because I’ve focused on myself for the first two hours of my day, I get am far more focused while I’m working as well. I usually clear the email box first, and then focus on a list of tasks that I set the night before. I use a paper planner. I have a long term running list of items I must do, and I take no more than five items from the long term list and put it on the daily list. I say no more than five because I’ve figured out that 4-5 tasks is really all I can accomplish. When I put more than that on I end up with stuff on the list at the end of the day and that annoys me. It’s all a mind game. I do need to add a caveat: I do sometimes get distracted by paint. That’s a true story.

Blair: You recently painted the prettiest hashtag I think I’ve ever seen! I love the tongue-in-cheek aspect of images like that. How do you stay inspired and creatively ready for each new piece of work you do?

Bari: Ha! Thank you! That hashtag came from someone saying they were irritated with hashtags. I am a confessed Instagram addict, and I believe in the power of hashtags. Intentional, focused hashtags as opposed to random hashtags, I should say. I could quite honestly talk about hashtags and Instagram for hours on end. I’m passionate about Instagram! But I digress… what did you ask? LOL… I guess I stay inspired creatively by focusing on what inspires me as a person each day. For instance, one painting, “Microburst”, came from a crazy weather system we had here last summer. That sucker was WILD. I had to paint something focused on it.

Blair: Tell us about the “Something Beautiful Tribe” and where can we sign up?

Bari: Something Beautiful Tribe is my free newsletter. Each month I send subscribers a free screensaver for each of their devices (computer, phone, iPad) and a free printable calendar. I’m now adding more content so that subscribers get free decor and wardrobe tips, sewing tips and much more at least twice a month. If you go to my website, there’s a popup to sign up. And it’s all free… my gift to subscribers. I feel like since they let me into their lives via their inboxes, they should get something great out of it.

Spring Soiree original painting by Bari

Blair: If you could give one piece of advice for creatives who want to grow their business, what would it be?

Bari: I know it’s trite, but I’d say be yourself. I once heard someone say that “your brand is the exhaust fumes of your life”. I take that to mean, no one else is you. If you focus on what your life is, people will be engaged and they will become fans and eventually buyers of your brand.